Match book machine



Oct. 15, 1940. I s, RAHE 1 7 2,218,218

MATCH B0 0K MACHINE Filed March 1a, 1938 7 Sheets- Sheet 1 INVENTOR 154M052 5184/15.

Oct. 15, 1940. s, 5 RAHE 2,218,218

MATCH BOOK MACHINE Filed March 18, 1938' I 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 'INVENTOR JZMU L E14H5 Oct. 15, 1940. s. E. RAHE MATCH BOOK MACHINE Filed March 18, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INYENTOR 514M054 ERA/1E. 14mm Oct. 15,j;194o'.-;f s. E. RAHE MATCH s'oox MACHINE Filed March, 18, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 m m[ L my? P v fiwwfiknw o \g Q Q Q my & a. mm

Oct. 15, 1940. s. E. RAHE 2,218,218

MATCH BOOK MACHINE Filed March 18, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 lag/11140625194116:

ATTORNEY Oct. 15, 1940. s. E. RAHE MATCH BOOK MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March 18, 1938 INVENTOR $444054 5 1914/15 ATTORNEY S S. E. RAHE MATCH BOOK MACHINE Oct. 15; 1940.

Filed March 18, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTOIR 254M052 E. EAHE. M 'ATTORN EY Patented Oct. 15, 1940 MATCH BOOK MACHINE 'Samuel E. Rahe, Springfield Gardens, N. Y., as-

signor to Berst-Forster-Dixfield 00., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Maine Application March 18, 1938, Serial No. 196,639

17 Claims. (01. 226-4) This invention relates to'improvements in machines for making so-called match books, which are the well known match' cards, either of cardboard, wood or other material, and usually two in number contained in an enclosing cover.

Objects Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are: to provide an improved machine of this character and one which will permit the making of match books of the conventional or analogous kind more rapidly, more economically and better than by the present practice; to improve the means for transferring the completed match books, from the conveyor arriving from a part of the machine where the final operations are performed upon the match, to the part of the machine where the books are stacked and boxed; to improve the part of the mechanism receiving the match books from the transferring mechanism; to provide for receiving match books arriving on the delivery conveyor close together and separating the same in making transfer to the stacking part of the machine; to avoid delays of delivery in effecting the separation of the books in stacking; to improve the construction of stacking mechanism; to stack the books face to back; to effect the stacking by turning the books onto their sides; to turn successive books of every stack upon its side opposite to the side on which its predecessor is stood; to avoid unnecessary travel of the books in effecting the transfer and turning thereof onto their sides; to avoid loss of time between operations upon successive books transferred and stacked; to secure simplicity of construction and operation; and to obtain other advantages and results as may be brought out in the following description.

Drawings Figure 1 is a plan of a machine embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation which for convenience will be termed the front of the machine and is a view looking toward the lower side of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation looking at the right end or side as seen in Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a detail elevation of part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3 with other parts removed for disclosing the same;

Figure 5 is a view looking in the same direction as the elevation of Fig. 3, showing part of the mechanism in section as upon line 5--5 of Fig. 1;

Figure 6 is a detail sectional elevation of a portion of the machine shown in Fig. 5, but in a different operative position;

7 is a detail elevation of the book gripping and transferring means from the conveyor to the stacking mechanism;

Figure 8 is a sectional elevation of the stacking mechanism approximately on line 8-8 of Fig. 1;

Figures 9 and 10 are similar views ofa portion of the stacking mechanism as shown in Fig. 8, but illustrating the different positions of the stacking mechanism by which books are stacked in successive reverse positions;

Figure 11 is a perspective View of a portion of the machine showing particularly the transferring and stacking'mechanism with regard to one of the plurality of those mechanisms;

Figure 12 is a perspective View as of a part of the mechanism shownin Fig. 11 by which the books are guided after release from the transferring mechanism to enter the stacking mechanism; e, H

Figure 13 is a horizontal sectional plan of the guide and flexible guiding means associated therewith; I

Figure 14 is a detail plan. of the controlling bar in the flexible guiding means of Fig. 13 and as shown in part in Figure 12;

Figure 15 is a detail plan of the lazy-tong structure for spreading the book transferring and gripping means, this view showing the head as having moved partly forward and the tongs having functioned to partly spread the gripping means;

Figure l6'is a similar view showing the tongs as having been operated to their ultimate position spreading the transferring means to alignment with the discharging channels; and

Figure 17 is a. detail sectional view on line I'll1 of Figure 16.

.Descrz'ption In making description of the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, it may be stated at the outset that manufacture of matches in book or packet form has been long accomplished by various machines and the general type of match book'is one containing cards of matches secured within a cover one end of which is bent around the base part of the match cards and stapled and the other end of which is folded around the match tips and insertedunder'the other end for completing the book form of covering. Merely for convenience in reference it may be now stated that the end of the match book which is stapled is described as the bottom of the book and the end having the match tips about which the middle part of the cover is bent is understood to be the top of the match book and the sides will accordingly be synonomous with the edges of the covers, the face having the short bent up end of cover where stapled will be termed the front and the opposite face behind the match cards will be termed the back. Match books 28 of the type indicated will be noted in the several views of the drawings have arrived to the part of the machine here other all facing one way, for instance, face up, upon a conveyor from the preceding part of the machine where they have been formed, dipped, dried, stapled and thecovers closed. For saving space and weight of machinery, the match books are passed through the preceding parts of the machine very close together, and one function of the present invention is to take the books in groups, for instance ten in a group, separate them and transfer them into stacking columns or runways to be then boxed either by hand ormechanically as seen fit. The books coming into the present part of the machine side by side on the conveyor, are thereupon gripped by their laterally projecting lower ends, separated from each other, dropped vertically into receptacles which turn the books to stand on their sides, the turning thereof being in a manner to stand the successive books on a side opposite from the next preceding book whereby the upper end of each book is next the lower end of the two next contiguous books on opposite side thereof and successive stacked books positioned face to back, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6.

The conveyor upon which the match books are brought to the transferring mechanism of the present invention, provides 'a clamping means for each book. The details of the clamping means are more clearly evident in Fig. 5 in conjunction with Fig. 1 wherein conveyor 2i provides successive clips 22 hinged-at 23 to project laterally of the conveyor toward what may be termed the front edge there-of and held normally with their front ends actuated into clamping position toward the conveyor by virtue of individual springs 24. The match books are held by these clips 22 with the lower ends of the books projecting laterally from the conveyor uniform distances. Assuming the machine to be constructed to act upon the books in banks of ten, the conveyor is preferably operated to advance with a step by step or intennittent movement which will bring a bank of ten books into a position for release and transfer and will then bring another ten into the same position, and so on. This intermittent movement is obtained by any suitable means, and by way of illustration I have shown the same effected by a Geneva movement incorporated as a part of the driving train of gears and more especially illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. This part of the drive will be described forthwith.

The main driving shaft, designated by numeral 25, is horizontally disposed in a direction crosswise of the machine, at the left side thereof, and in Figures 1 and 2 is shown having a bevel gear 26 in mesh with a mating gear 21 upon a rearwardly directedslraft 28, the rear end of which carries a spocket wheel 29 in .tum driving a sprocket chain 30 extending toward the middle part of the machine and riding upon a driven sprocket 3| thereat. This sprocket 3| is directly connected to or otherwise drives a gear 32 coaxial therewith and in mesh with a larger gear 33 which in turn is oo-axial with and drives a Geneva rotor 34 in operative engagement with a mating rotor 35 axially coincident with and driving a gear 36 in mesh with a pinion 3"! axially coincident with the conveyorpulley 38 and driving the same. These, or [any other train of gearing to obtain the desired intermittent motion, may be employed.

When the several match book-s to be transferred arrive at the position where transfer is to take illustrated in close edgewise proximity one to anplace, shown in Fig. 1, as midway between the side frames 39 of the machine, the projecting ends of the books are gripped in a set of jaws for the purpose, and forthwith the clamps or clips on the conveyor are released with respect to these particular match books. This mechanism will now be described.

Assuming, as I have before, that the machine is constructed; to function with respect to banks of ten books, ten sets of jaws are provided to engage ten books at one time and transfer them and a means for releasing ten clips of the con veyor will likewise be provided. Description of one transfer member and its one pair of jaws for gripping one book will therefore sufiice for an understanding of the ten transfer members assumed to be functioning in the machine illustrated. Illustration of the jaws, and operation thereof will best be seen in Figs. 5, 6, '7 and 11. The construction provides a swinging transferv member 40 slidably mounted upon and keyed to a rocker shaft 4! and adapted to swing through an arc of approximately ninety degrees from a rearward position to a forward position in carrying the book from the conveyor to transfer the same to the stacking mechanism. The swinging transfer member 40 is shown in rearward position in Figs. 5, 7 and 11 and is shown in forward position in Fig. 6. The member 40 has a jaw 42 formed integral therewith and which for convenience may be termed a fixed jaw, but it will be understood that this jaw is only fixed in its relationship to the said member, inasmuch as the jaw and member may both simultaneously swing. This jaw is constructed with respect to the transfer member so as to project with its underside horizontally rearward when said member is in its rearward position, and to project vertically downward when the member is in its forward position.

The transfer member carries a movable jaw 43 pivoted to the member at 44 adapting the said movable jaw to close toward the fixed jaw'and grip the book as shown in Fig. 5 or swing away from the fixed jaw and release the book as shown in Fig. 6. Movable jaw 43 (see Fig. 7) has a tail piece 45 projecting upwardly from the pivotal mounting 44. The mid part of this tail piece carries at its upper end a pivoted trunnion block 46 through which slidably depends a toggle bar 4'! the upper end of which is pivoted as at 48 in the transfer member. A spring 49 is carried on the rod 41 between the block 46 and. pivot 48. The points of pivoting are so situated that the jaw, in swinging from open to closed position and vice versa, cross an imaginary line between pivot 44 of the jaw and pivot 48 for the rod; and thus, it will be seen, that the parts have a toggle action so that when the tail piece '45 is rocked past the center in one direction the jaw will open and be held open by spring 49, and, when rocked past the center in the opposite direction the jaw will close and be held closed by the same spring 49.

At opposite sides of the upper ends of tail piece 45, are provided opposed lugs 5|], 5| toward the rear and front of the said transfer member respectively. As the transfer member comes toward the conveyor to pick up a match book, its jaws are in the open position resulting from the opening thereof as in Fig. 6. Rearwardly directed lug 50 on the tail piece of the jaw thereupon strikes a fixed stop 52 and causes the tail piece to snap forwardly and close the jaw as shown in Figs. 5 and '7 and grip the projecting bottom margin of the match book still carried by conveyor 2|. Means hereinafter described thereupon releases the retentionof the match bookon the conveyor and mechanism likewise hereinafter described thereupon causes the transfer member 50 to swing forward and at the same time said mechanism gives said transfer member a forwardtion over the receiving receptacle therefor. When the match book arrives 'in this forward position, as shown in Fig. 6, another stop 53 engages the then forwardly-upwardly projecting lug 5| of the jaw tail piece and causes the toggle toswingto opposite position and open the jaws both to drop the book and prepare the jaws for returning and picking up another match book.

As just indicated, transfer members 40 not only have the swinging motion, but have a motion of translation simultaneously therewith. For effecting this translation from the rearward pick up position of Fig. 5 to the forward releasing position where the match'book is dropped as in Fig. 6, rocker shaft 4| carrying the several transfer members 40 extends crosswise of the machine and is rotatably carried intrunnions 54 beyond the outermost position of the outermost transfer members, which trunnions depend from a carriage 55. This carriage likewise extends horizontally across the machine parallel to said rocker shaft 4|, overlying the shaft and having its ends slidable forwardly-rearwardly in tracks 56 carried by or integral with side frames 39, 39. Carriage 5'5 accordingly is moved from a rearward position to a forward position and back again as the machine operates to properly relate the transfer members with respect to the conveyor at one time and with respect to the receptacle at another time.

Suitable mechanism is employed toslide said carriage back and forth. As here shown, said carriage is provided near each end with upstanding ears 51 pivotally mounting a link 58 to extend forwardly therethrough and receive motion imparted by a lever 59 depending thereto from an upper part of frame 39, there being a lever 59 at each end of the machine or carriage and each lever being secured to a rocker shaft 5|] extending crosswise of the machine at its top and actuated by a crank 6| in turn having, an actuating link 62 pivoted thereto and extending to a lower part of the machine. There, said link connects with a crank 63 mounted upon a main cam shaft 6A which extends across the machine from the side having the drive shaft and there driven by a chain drive 65 from the drive shaft which also actuates an auxiliary cam shaft 65 parallel to the main cam shaft and also extending across the machine.

In order to obtain the lateral transition of transfer members 4|), that is, a movement which spreads said members crosswise of the machine or in a direction longitudinal of the supporting rocker shaft 4|, I preferably employ lazy-tongs 6| horizontally disposed beneath carriage 55 and above said rocker shaft 4|. These lazy-tongs, where the bars thereof cross, receive studs 68 therethrough on the upper ends of which, above the lazy tongs, are rollers 59 and at the lower ends of which, under the lazy tongs, are rider blocks 10. Each rider block has flanges depending on opposite sides of the transfer member" and has openings through these flanges for the rocker shaft 4| to slidably pass therethrough. It

may be observed at this time, that while rocker shaft 4| has a key way therein to receive the corresponding key for the transfer member, the rider block does not have any key and is therefore not actuated rotatably by the rocker shaft.

As the lazy tongs expand the rider blocks 10 are given a corresponding sliding motion upon the rocker shaft 4| and carry the several transfer members proportionate distances along the rocker shaft, thus separating them from each other in parallel and equally spaced positions.

Operation of the lazy tongs to expand or retract may conveniently be obtained by cam action instigated by the reciprocal movement of the carriage. It will be observed that the carriage movesforwardly and rearwardly, and since rocker shaft 4| travels forwardly and rearwardly, and since studs 68 will likewise be carried forwardly and rearwardly, the lazy tongs likewise are given a transition forwardly and rearwardly. With particular reference to Figs. 2, 5, 15, 16 and1'7, it will be noted that I provide a pair of separate forwardly extending oscillating cams T2 pivoted at their rear ends upon a vertical pivot 13 on a suitable bracket M from a fixed part of the frame work, and here shown to be a part ofthe frame work which provides tracks 56. These cams project beneath the carriage at a position above the lazy tongs, and are provided each with a cam groove $5 in its upper surface and a cam groove l6 in its under surface. The upper cam groove receives a stud or roller Ti depending from the carriage 55, and by virtue of'this roller and its cam groove, the oscillating cam 12 is swung toward the side of the machine to which it is nearest as the carriage moves forwardly, and is swung back again when the carriage moves rearwardly. One of the studs 58 projecting upwardly from the rider block 70 has its roller 69 positioned within the under cam groove 16 of the oscillating cam 12, and the cam grooves are so arranged that forward movement of the carriage will cause the roller in the under groove to ride toward the same side toward which said oscillating cam is swinging as the carriage moves forward. Since there are two of these oscillating cams and since the cam grooves are opposite in pitch, the lazy tongs are actuated by the two oscillating cams to move outwardly at opposite ends of the tongs at one time and to retract inwardly at one time. By utilizing an oscillating cam, the pitch of the two cam grooves may be less than forty-five degrees to the length or long dimension of the cam and accordingly will operate the lazy tongs with precision and minimum friction and loss of power. It is preferable that certain of the rollers 69 project upwardly from. the lazy tongs to be guided in suitable guideways 18 which extend partway across the underside of the carriage for that purpose. This construction will obtain a desired precision and steadying of the rider blocks at 'a time when the lazy tongs are most extended.

The forward and rearward movement of the carriage also is utilized to obtain the aforementioned rocking of rocker shaft l this being readilyaccomplished by projecting an end of the said rocker shaft 4| beyond the carriage, as indicated in Fig. 11, and provides on that end a crank arm 19 having a roller 8|) (as shown in Figs. 3, 10 and 11), with the roller riding in a cam groove 8| of a cam plate 82 secured to the side frame'39. The cam groove is so arranged that as the carriage moves forward roller 8|] will ride forwardly and downward, thereby swinging arm 19 and rocking the shaft the desired amount. The rearend of cam slot 8I is horizontal, thus making the several transfer members at a proper horizontal approach to the match books, so as to engage the match books without disturbing them Within the clamps of the conveyor until stop 52 (carried in fixed position by brackets 83 at the ends thereof mounted on said frames 39 (snaps the jaws of the transfer member closed upon the match books. When this new gripping is accomplished, the clamping members on the conveyor are released from the group of match books to be transferred.

vThe releasing of the conveyor clamps is obtained by means of a horizontally disposed trip bar 84 which overlies the rear ends of the movable clamping members of the clamps to be released. This bar is conveniently carried at its ends in arms 85, in turn carried by a rotatable rod 89 extending from one side frame to the other. This rod 96 projects beyond one end of the machine and has a crank 81 secured thereto and from this crank extends a link 88 the other end of which has a longitudinal slot 99 to take over the cam shaft 64 for guiding purposes and also which has a roller 99 adapted to be engaged by a cam protuberance 9! rotated by said shaft 54. The operation of this cam and connected parts will cause trip bar 94 to lower at the proper moment to press upon ten of the clamps torelease the ten books which have been gripped by the ten transfer members. Thereupon, the carriage moves forward and by virtue of the downward slope of cam groove 8I in fixed cam plate 92, the

said transfer members are swung through approximately ninety degrees. The forward end of cam groove BI is made with a substantially horizontal portion terminating in a short downwardly extended portion, thereby giving the transfer member an extra kick so as to assure functioning of the toggle gripping jaws of said members and thus bring the lug I sharply against stop 53 and open the jaws. It may here be stated that the stop 53 may conveniently comprise a rod extending across the machine from one side frame to the other, this rod having a secondary use for supporting certain flexible guiding fins as will be described hereinafter.

The foregoing portion of the description has related the structure and operation of the introduction of the match books to the machine, change of gripping means, transfer from the arriving conveyor to the receiving means and simultaneous separating or spreading apart of the several match books while being transferred ready for dropping into the receiving means. I will now enter into a description of the receiving and stacking means.

When the several match books arrive at the front of the machine in the custody of the several transferring members, they are brought to a vertical position substantially above receptacles 92 of which there is one for every match book of the group brought forward. Since the machine has been so far described as acting upon ten match books at a time as a group, there will accordingly be ten of these receptacles 92. The separation of the match books by means of the aforementioned lazy tongs is prearranged to agree with the spacing of said receptacles which are arranged, in a side to side direction, at equally spaced intervals across the machine. When the movable jaw 43 is caused to open as shown in Fig. 6, the match book forthwith drops into the receptacle and before the next book is dropped in like manner, the first one is pushed broadside from the receptacle thereby making way for the next one, so that there is only one book in a receptacle at a time.

It is a function of the receptacle to receive the book with the match tip end thereof directed downwardly so it may be here understood the match book is standing endwise or in a vertical position with its top end down and its bottom end up. Before the match book is expelled from the receptacle, said receptacle turns through an angle of ninety degrees in its own plane thereby turning the matchdown onto one side edge of the book. The turning of the receptacle reverses with'each successive match book, and thereby the successive books will rest upon opposite side edges with respect to each other with the front face of one book against the back face of the next book, and so on. This method of stacking the books is important and novel, inasmuch as prior machines have stacked the books face to face and back to back,.the result of which has caused the short end of one cover to snag with the short end of another cover where these faces are contiguous.

The mounting of the receptacles and the means for turning them back and forth therefore constitutes an improved feature of the present invention. As will be perhaps best seen in Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive, each receptacle preferably comprises a substantially square back plate 93 on two contiguous side edges of which are outstanding edge walls 94, 94 which are perpendicular to each other and to the back plate 93. These walls are at one position respectively the bottom and one side of the receptacle and in the other position reverse to constitute respectively the side and bottom. The receptacle is provided with a pivot driving or reversing connection, as at 95, at the corner where these two outstanding walls 94, 94 meet each other, the axis of the pivot being perpendicular to the back wall or plate 93. As shown, the pivoting is with respect to a link 96 which is movable in a vertical plane parallel to back wall or plate 93 of the receptacle. This link is in turn pivoted as at 91 to a' bar 98 extending crosswise of the machine and longitudinally slidable within an amplitude of movement substantially equal to the width of the receptacle. One end of the bar 99 projects at the side of the machine and constitutes a toothed member or rack 99 engaged by pinion I99 for effecting the timed and restricted movement of the bar back and forth. It may be added at this time, that pinion I00 may conveniently be co-axial with and driven by a smaller pinion IllI shown as situated behind it. The second pinion IIJI is in mesh with a vertically disposed driving rack I02 thelower end of which has a roller I93 mounted thereon, said roller riding in a cam groove I04 in a cam I95 on the end of shaft 66 at that end of the machine.

Each receptacle 92 is provided with a teetering side wall I06, which will assume a parallel vertical relationship to whichever fixed side wall 94 stands upright at the moment. This teetering side wall I06 is pivoted at III! on an axis perpendicular to the back plate 93 of the receptacle adjacent the corner thereof diagonally opposite from the pivoted connection 95 for the receptacle. The back wall is shown as provided with an arcuate slot I08 the center of curvature of which is coincident with the axis of pivoting of the teetering side wall, and a stop pin projecting from the rear edge of said teetering side wall and riding in the slotacts as a stop to limit the .at the rear of the several receptacles.

teetering side wall in its outwardly swinging position to go no further than parallelism with the opposite vertical side wall 94. At the geometric center of the back wall is provided a pivot I09 by which the receptacle is pivotally carried by a fixed part of the machine such as indicated to be the vertical flange I I0 of an angle iron II I the other flange of which is at the bottom of the vertical flange and extends rearwardly therefrom at the bottom thereof. Bar 98 is provided with appropriate depressions or cutouts IIZ to accommodate the lower corner of the receptacle and the link 96 where pivoted together so that as bar 98 reciprocates, the receptacle will be rotated upon the central pivot I99 under impetus of connecting link 96 and thereby bring the wall 94 which was in horizontal position into a vertical position at a situation previously occupied by teetering wall and corresponding lower the other wall 94 which was vertical into a, horizontal position. From the foregoing description, it will be seen that no matter which of the two positions is assumed by the receptacle, the receptacle always presents an upper open side and presents a lower wall thereunder and two side walls perpendicular to the lower wall and extending to the open upper side of the receptacle. Furthermore, the open upper side is always in the same position ready to receive a match book from transfer member 40 regardless of which direction of rotation has been given tothe said receptacle. Of course, any one position of receptacle the fixed wall will be at the right side and the teetering wall at the left side, whereas in the other position fixed wall will be at the left side and the teetering wall on the right side.

As indicated heretofore, the match book is dropped into the receptacle, and I preferably provide means for guiding the match book from the time it is released by the transfer member until it is within the receptacle. The particular guiding means here shown constitutes mechanism guiding the book at front and back thereof and at both sides. The particular mechanism here shown for guiding the book at its face towards the rear of the machine (which means guiding the matches next what has been termed their front faces, since they issue from the machine with their rear faces towards the front) may conveniently comprise a chute plate H3. This chute plate I I 3 extends crosswise of the machine and is hinged at H4 at its forward edge .to a fixed part of the frame work which may conveniently be the same cross piece I I5 which carries the aforementioned angle iron support III! This chute plate I I3 lies substantially horizontally as shown in Figs. 5 and 11 until after the several match books have been transferred to a position in front of it as shownin Fig. 6. Suitable springs II6 engaging upon pins III projecting from opposite ends of the chute plate serve to normally I actuate the said plate into its rearwardly directed member, the chute plate is swung into an upwardly directed position as shown in Fig. 6. Actuation of the chute plate into this upright position is conveniently obtained by means of impact arms II9 depending from the carriage 55. The lower ends of these arms I I9 are shown with impact blocks I29 thereon directed forwardly and at an elevation such that their forward faces will engage against pins IIl of the chute plate during the final forward movement of the carriage. It is likewise during this final forward movement of the carriage that the gripping means of the transfer member is released and it will thus be seen that the chute member is swung upwardly to perform its function of guiding the match books substantially simultaneously with the dropping of the match books in front of the chute plate.

The match books are guided at their side edges by guiding means or fins I2! which depend from the heretofore described stop rod 53. There is provided a pair of these fins I2I for each match book and receptacle. The fins may be hinged or flexible laterally, that is, toward the sides of the machine, for purposes of guiding the match books into the receptacles properly whichever Way the receptacles are turned. It is to be observed at this point that the receptacles 92 are under a rotative actuation from rack 99 on the ends of horizontally movable bar 98, heretofore described as the actuating means for the receptacles, which may thus be positioned, as in Figs. 8 and 11 with the teetering side wall IE8 at the left, or, as in Figs. 9 and 10 with the teetering side wall I96 at the right, these views thus indisive match books. In either position of the receptacles, it is desired to guide the matches into the same next the side walls of the receptacle remote from the teetering wall. This is accom plished by fins I2I in conjunction with means operating the same. As shown, the fins, except the end two, are hinged, as at I22 at their upper ends to brackets I23 mounted on rod 53. The end two fins have a flexible hinging lit from individual brackets I25 also mounted on said rod. All of said fins normally assume vertical positions unless positively deflected as in Figs. 8, 9 and 11. Except for the two end fins mentioned, the other or intermediate fins are hung in pairs from said brackets I23, the two fins of each pair being guides for 'next adjacent edges of two match books, the bracket I23 thus being at a situation between the paths of forward movement of those match books. The bracket I23 provides a depending stop portion I26 against which the .fins

Deflection of the fins is obtained first with.

one fin of a pair deflected inwardly of the path of dropping of the match book, and then when the next match book is received the. opposite fin is deflected in an inward direction and the first one of the pair then hangs vertically. This alternate deflection is obtained by means of an outstanding cam-like post I21 from the horizontally movable bar 98. This post is brought to underlie the heretofore mentioned depending lug I I8, and as this depending cam moves downwardly, it engages the lug surface of post I2! and is shifted in a horizontal direction. There are two posts,

and two lugs, only one lug and one post functioning at one time. The posts are situated on the bar further apart than said depending lugs, and thus when the bar is shifted as in Fig. 8, toward the right, post I21 underlies the superposed depending lug H8 so that depending lug II8 will be shifted toward the right when that lug is moved downwardly, the lug H8 at the right hand of the machine at that time not engaging its post I21 which it will be observed is far to the right. When the said lug H8 is lowered and caused to move to the right it functions to swing the end fin next to it inwardly to the right and at the same time functions to deflect the right hand fin of each pair also to the right. On the next operation for the next bank of match books, the bar 38 and its cam.- like posts I21 are shifted toward the left end of their amplitude of movement, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. As shown in Fig. 10, as depending lug H8 lowers into contact with said cam-like post, it is shifted correspondingly to the left and deflects the adjacent end fin I2! to the left and also each left hand fin of the several pairs of fins.

Suitable means are provided for thus alternating deflecting one fin of each pair, as well as only one end fin upon movement effectuated through contact of the depending cams with the posts. As one simple and effective means I have shown a slide plate I28 on the under side of a horizontally disposed head bar I29 which extends crosswise of the machine. This bar is longitudinally stationary but the slide plate I28 is mounted to move longitudinally of the head bar by suitable means such as by suitably slotted action. As here shown, the slide plate has a plurality of longitudinal slots I38 which receive bolts I3I therethrough in turn secured in the underside of the head bar with sufficient freedom to permit sliding of the slide plate. From one side of the slide plate are projections I32 each of a sufiicient width longitudinally of the plate to lie between the pairs of fins and preferably of the same width as stop portions I26 also between the fins so that the fins may hang in parallel relationship when the projections are directly below said stop portions, as may be clearly seen in Figs. 8 and 9. When the slide plate is moved in one direction, one end of each projection engages the adjacent fin and deflects the fin as shown in Fig. 10, the other fin of the pair hanging down vertically because it is not being pushed by any projection and because it in flatwise engagement next its upper end with stop portion I26. Springs I33 are preferably under tension between each pair of fins, tending to return any deflected fin to its vertical position. The increase of tension exerted when one fin is deflected serves to more positively retain the other fin in fiatwise engagement against stop portion I26. The deflection of the fins is preferably such that the bottom end of the deflected fin is pushed toward the vertical fin therebeyond substantially to a position which will just permit the match books to pass between these two fins, and thus, as clearly shown in Fig. 10, the book will be caused to drop vertically against the fixed side wall of the receptacle preparatory to the receptacle being turned through ninety degrees to position the match book on its side.

After the match book has been turned on its side, it is ejected broadside toward the front of the machine in the stack of previously ejected matchbooks. The present showing of ejecting means comprises a pair of horizontally forwardly directed plungers I34 which are normally behind the receptacle 92 and carried by a horizontally movable platen I35. The receptacles are provided with three holes I36 in the back wall 93 thereon so arranged that two of the holes will be juxtaposed to the ends of plungers I34 when the receptacle is in one extreme or match receiving position and two holes will be in juxtapositioni with these same plungers when the receptacle is turned to its other extreme position. Subsequent to introduction of the match book into the receptacle platen I35 moves forwardly, at which time plungers I34 come through the holes, engaging the face of the match book and push the book forward into a runway I31. While in Fig. 16 match books are shown only in one runway, it will be understood that the books are delivered to. all receptacles and runways simultaneously and therefore there will always be the same number present in one runway as in another. A forwardly slidable stop I38 extends crosswise of all the runways and as the match books move forward they push this stop forward an equal amount and thus keeps the match books stacked at all times. Attention is particularly directed to the fact that the match books alternate as to the tops and bottoms thereof being toward the right or the left, but that the match books are all stacked with their front faces in one direction and all of the back faces in the opposite direction.

In order that the match books shall be guided at the front of the machine when releasing from the transferring means, I have shown vertically disposed tines I39 depending from head bar I28 in front of chute plate I I3 a distance sufficient to admit a book between said tines and chute plate. As here shown, a pair of tines I39 are provided for each receptacle, and these chute bars furthermore depend at the rear edge of slide plate I 28 between projections I32, so as not to interfere with the operation of the slide plate. As heretofore indicated, cross head I29 is movable up and down and when it is in its upward position the said tines are above the receptacles so as not to interfere with the receptacles being turned from side to side. However, when the receptacle is in position for receiving a match book and the book has been transferred forwardly, said book will be next the tines and cross head which has then begun this downward movement. In the meantime, plungers I34 have .come forward and have ejected the book last left in the receptacle and'turned by turning of the receptacle, thus clearing the receptacle for the book being delivered. The tines therefore engage behind the stack of books and maintain a clear passage for the incoming book to fall to the bottom of the receptacle immediately upon retraction of plungers I34 which takes place at the same time. As the cross head I29 is preferably trunnioned as at I40 at its ends,- the tines I39 may swing within a limited amplitude from a vertical position toward the back wall 93 of the receptacle while the tines are in a raised position. This feature enables the tines to slope rearwardly as they come down, and thus get behind the last ejected book. However, as the tines approach their bottom position, means provided will necessitate them assuming a vertical position, giving a clear channel for the incoming book. As here shown, the trunnioned ends I48 of the cross head are mounted bination, means for successively gripping banks in a vertically slidable block I 4| in an appropriate track in the side frame. Extending from this block MI inwardly of the machineparallel to and slightly spaced from cross head I29 at the front thereof is a horizontally disposed pin,

I42. Projecting forwardly from the cross head immediately below pin I42 is a second pin I43 at right angles to pin I42 and said pins having a relationship with respect to each other such that the forwardly projecting one which swings simultaneously with the tines I39 will engage the fixed one of said pins when the tines are swung to a vertical position and thus limit the swinging of the tines in that direction. The forwardly projecting pin I63 is limited as to the downward slope permitted by a fixed bracketjl l l underlying an outward part of the same and carried by the frame of the machine. When the cross head is lowered to its extreme lowermost position pin I43 engages bracket I44 and swings cross head I29 to obtain the vertical passing of tines I39.

Operation of the several moving parts is obtained by appropriate mechanical actuating devices. As hereshown, cross head I29 is moved up and down by means of vertically disposed. links M pivoted to the underside of head blocks HlI, said links depending the pivotal engagement and forwardly projecting arm I 89 of a bell crank lever M1, the other arm I48 of which extends downwardly and pivotally receives the end and an arm I49, the lower end of which is forked as at I59 to take over shaft 64 for'guiding' purposes, said arm having a roller I5I thereon riding in a cam groove I52 of a cam I53 by which the arm is slid back and forth to operate the aforementioned bell crank lever, link and cross head. The plunger platen I35 is provided with depending ears I54 pivotally mounting a link I55 in turn pivoted to an upwardly extending arm I56 on a rocker bar I5'I in turn operated by a lever I58 from an eccentric strap I59 on an eccentric I59 also carried by shaft'64.

I claim:

1. A match book machine comprising in combination, means for delivering a plurality of closely associated match books in a closely associated series, means gripping each book of the series individually, means spreading said gripping means and books to positions at greater distances from each other, and means for thereafter discharging said books while in spaced positions with said books thereby discharge from the original series and entering separately into as many stacks as there are books in the series.

2. Amatch book machine comprising in comof match books all facing broadside in one direction, means for spreading the books of each bank while gripped, means for receiving the books of each spaced bank with the said books always facing broadside in one direction, and means for turning the books of successive banks from the received position to oppositely directed positions longitudinally and still facing broadside in one direction.

3. A match book machine comprising in combination with means delivering match books thereto in a closely associated series all facing broadside in one direction, and means for gripping said books in banks while closely associated and thereafter simultaneously spreading the books of a bank and transferring the same from the delivery means, and means for subsequently releasing said gripping means and discharging the banks of books successively with the books of each bank remaining in spread relation and all the books as discharged facing broadside in the same direction for stacking the same back to front.

4. A match book machine comprising in combination with means delivering match books thereto all facing broadside in one direction, and means for gripping said books in banks and transferring the same from the delivery means, and means for subsequently releasing said gripping means and discharging the banks of books successively with all the books as discharged facing broadside in the same direction for stacking the same back to front, and means for turning the books of each successive bank to be positioned longitudinally in an opposite direction from the next preceding bank and still facing broadside in one direction.

5. A match book machine comprising in combination with means delivering match books thereto in closely associated side to side position, means for gripping, spreading and transferring the bank of gripped books as a. group away from the delivery means, means for introducing the said group of books at the ends of stacks of books previously released, and means for turning the books of each successive group to stand in the stack upon an opposite side from the side of which the next preceding group of books stands.

6. A match book machine comprising in combination With means delivering match books thereto in closely associated side to side position, said delivery means having releasable clips retaining said books of said delivery means, means for gripping a bank of said books while still held by the said means, means for thereafter releasing the clips of the books gripped by the gripping means, means for transferring the bank of gripped books as a group away from the delivery means, and means for introducing the said group of books at the ends of stacks of books previously released, and means for turning the books of each successive group to stand in the stack upon an opposite side from the side on which the next preceding group of books stand.

7. A-match book machine comprising in combination with a plurality of stacking channels, receptacles at the receiving ends of said channels, each of said receptacles being reversely rotatable through a limited amplitude of oscillation to stand upon one of either of twoadjacent sides, means for introducing match books into said receptacles, means at the corners formed by said adjacent sides for oscillating turning said receptacles to reversely position successive match books introduced thereinto, and means for ejecting the match books after being turned.

8. A match book machine comprising in combination with a plurality of stacking channels,

receptacles at the receiving ends of said channels, each of said receptacles being reversely rotatable through a limited amplitude of oscillation to stand upon one of either of two adjacent sides, means for introducing match books into said receptacles, means at the corners formed by said adjacent sides for oscillating said receptacles simultaneously arid thereby turning said-receptacles to reversely position successive match books introduced thereinto, said oscillating means comprising links pivoted oneat each of said corners and a bar to which all of said said receptacles simultaneously and thereby links are pivoted, and means for ejecting the match books after being turned.

9. A match book machine comprising in combination with a plurality of stacking channels, receptacles at the receiving ends of said channels, each of said receptacles having a back wall and two fixed side walls on edges of the back wall and having a third wall next the corner of the back wall diagonally from the corner where the two fixed walls meet whereby said third wall functions as an opposite side wall to either of the said two fixed side walls, said receptacle being reversely rotatable to stand upon one of said two fixed sides, means for introducing match books into said receptacles, means for turning said receptacles to reversely position successive match books introduced thereinto, and means for ejecting the match books after being turned.

10. A match book machine comprising a receptacle adapted tobe turned from side to side and provided in each instance with an upwardly open receiving end, fins above the receptacle for guiding match books to the receptacle, said fins being at the sides of the match book and above the sides of the receptacle, and means for alternately deflecting said fins in a direction inwardly of the path of said match book as it passes the fins to enter the receptacle.

11. A match book machine comprising a receptacle adapted to be turned from side to side and provided in each instance with an upwardly open receiving end, fins above the receptacle for guiding match books to the receptacle, said fins being at the sides of the match book and above the sides of the receptacle, and means for positioning one fin in substantial alignment with the side of the receptacle and deflecting the other fin inwardly toward the first said fin with the receptacle turned in one position, and for defiecting the first mentioned aligned fln and aligning the first mentioned deflected fin with respect to the other side wall of the receptacle when the receptacle is turned.

12. A match book machine comprising means for transferring and positioning match books, in an upright position and thereupon dropping said match books, a chute plate for positioning behind the match books after said match books are brought to the said upright position, and receptacles having back walls at substantially the lower edge of the chute plate whereby the matches when dropped will be guided by the chute plate into said receptacles.

13. A match book machine comprising means for transferring and positioning match books in an upright position and thereupon dropping said match books, a chute plate situated so as to be behind the match books after said match books are brought to the said upright position, and receptacles having back walls at substantially the lower edge of the chute plate whereby the matches when dropped will be guided by the chute plate into said receptacles, and movable guiding fins above the sides of the receptacles and in front of the chute plate for guiding said match books when dropped between sides of the receptacle.

14. A match book machine comprising means for transferring and positioning match books in an upright position and thereupon dropping said match books, a chute plate for positioning behind the match books after said match books are brought to the said upright position, and receptacles having back walls at substantially the lower edge of the chute plate whereby the matches when dropped will be guided by the chute plate into said receptacles, and movable guiding fins above the sides of the receptacles and in front of the chute plate for guiding said match books when dropped between sides of the receptacle, and guiding means at the front of the receptacle for guiding the match books thereat into the receptacle, the last said guiding means being movable downwardly in front of the receptacle and retractable upwardly to permit ejection of the match book from the receptacle to clear the receptacle for the next match book dropped thereinto.

15. In a match book machine, a reciprocating carriage, a transferring member carried forwardly and rearwardly by said carriage, said transferring member having a toggle jaw, said transferring member being swung forwardly and rearwardly while transferred forward and rearward respectively by the carriage, and means at forward and rearward positions engageable by said transferring means for operating said toggle and thereby closing the jaws when the carriage is in its rearward position and opening the jaws when the carriage is in its forward position.

16. A match book machine comprising a carriage, a plurality of transferring members supported from the carriage, said transferring members being laterally slidable with respect to the carriage and rotatable forwardly and rearwardly, lazy tongs connected with each of said transferring members for proportionately separating said members laterally on forward movement of the carriage, forwardly directed cams immovable in forward and rearward directions, rollers carried by the lazy tongs operating in said cams whereby forward and rearward movement of the carriage simultaneously opens and closes the lazy tongs,

and a second cam having operative connection with the transferring members by which forward and rearward movement of the carriage also accomplishes swinging movement of the said members thereby necessarily synchronizing the lateral' movement and the swinging movement of the said members with the forward and rearward movement of the carriage.

1'7. A match books machine comprising a carriage, a plurality of transferring members supported from the carriage, said transferring members being laterally slidable with respect to the carriage and rotatable forwardly and rearwardly, lazy tongs connected with each of said transferring members for proportionately separating said members laterally on forward movement of the carriage, forwardly directed cams immovable in forward and rearward directions, rollers carried by the lazy tongs operating in said cams whereby forward and rearward movement of the carriage simultaneously opens and closes the lazy tongs,

and a second cam having operative connection with the transferring members by which forward and rearward movement of the carriage also accomplishes swinging movement of the said members thereby necessarily synchronizing the lateral movement and the swinging movement of the said members with the forward and rearward movement of the carriage.

SAMUEL E. RAHE. 

